Another sure-to-be-hit coming this fall from Pumpjack Players

Having been involved with Pumpjack Players for seven years, local Braeden Mattson has taken on
various roles and is currently the board treasurer. He has played Cedric Bottomly in The 1984 Dalmar
Biker War, Amos Hart in Chicago the Musical, Sam Radcliffe in According To Schedule and most recently
the hilarious Mr. Green in Clue On Stage.
Mattson grew his love for acting in high school festivals and dinner theatre productions at Mayerthorpe
High School, often playing a lead role. Being a self-described shy kid to being fully in the spotlight has
been a gradual change that he hopes others will take the leap as he did. “Everyone was so great
(Pumpjack Players), and because it’s all volunteer, everyone who’s here wants to be here. It’s a really
good group, and we have a lot of fun. I’ve made a lot of friends over the years.”
This fall, Mattson is taking on a new role that he has never taken on: directing. “I was always interested
in directing. I acted so often that I chose a play with less male characters because we had trouble getting
male actors to show up. So, taking myself out of one of those roles lets us hopefully get some new blood
in here.” The lack of male characters was what originally inspired Mattson to join Pumpjack Players.
When it came time to pick a play for this year’s fall dinner theatre production, Mattson had a shortlist of
what he wanted to see on stage. “Usually, we will have someone from the group bring us something and
say, hey, I want to direct this one, but we didn’t have that this year, so everyone on the board chose a
couple of plays, and we voted as a board on which one we wanted. My play was chosen, so I said I
would direct it.”
So, what is this year’s play? It’s called Blithe Spirit and was written by Noel Coward in 1941. The play has
made it to the big screen at least twice over the years. The first time was in 1945, and it was done again
just three years ago, starring Dan Stevens and Leslie Mann. “It follows this English author named
Charles, who decides he wants to study a medium to base a character on her. So, he invites her and this
other couple over, and they have a séance. During the séance, his late wife’s spirit is brought back and
not released,” explained Mattson. “What follows is the antics of him trying to live with his current wife
and be haunted by his late wife. It’s very comical,” he laughed.
Mattson said the supernatural comedy should make for a hilarious night out once the play hits the local
stage in November. “After reading the synopsis, I thought it would be hilarious. It checked a whole
bunch of boxes for me.” When asked what his favourite part of the play is, Mattson said anytime the
medium, Madame Arcati, showed up. “She’s so eccentric and wild. She’s a nineteen-forties medium.
That sold it for me. She’s very colourful.”
The cast for Blithe Spirit consists of five female and two male characters. Mattson and several board
members for Pumpjack Players recently held auditions for the play at the Forest Interpretive Centre.
Being on the other side of the audition desk was an interesting experience for Mattson. He said his past
experiences being on the other side helped him make the experience less overwhelming for would-be
actors trying out.
“The first time auditioning for me was tough, but afterwards, as you get to know people, it gets easier
and easier. It’s always a little awkward for the first three lines because you have no idea what they are

looking for or want you to do. Making those decisions on your feet is a little tough, but we understand
that, and it’s all considered,” he explained.
Mattson said he is excited to see everything come together, with auditions now over and preparations
underway. The cast came together on Tuesday, September 5, to read through the script for the first
time. Pumpjack is still looking for volunteers to help with set design, creation, building, costumes, and
front-of-house setup. Mattson said getting involved behind the scenes is a great way to become
accustomed to local theatre. “That’s nice about working backstage because no one has to see you. You
never show up on stage, but you still get to hang out with everybody and see how everything is.
Volunteering in one of the crew positions is a nice entry into Pumpjack.”
The dates for when the shows will happen in November have yet to be set as of this article, but they are
aiming for the last two weekends of November. “It’s great entertainment for a fairly cheap cost, and you
don’t have to go very far for it because you don’t have to go to the city. It’s a great time. I’ve never heard
any complaints from anyone in the audience. Even someone who isn’t really into theatre has a good
time watching, and there’s always a great meal, too,” said Mattson.
Lots of work goes into each year’s production, with volunteers clocking long hours perfecting each
scene. One way to support them as they pull the show together is to attend their 80’s themed Prom
Night event on September 23 at Whitecourt Central School. “This is Pumpjack Players’ 40th year, so we
are pretty excited about that,” said Mattson. “The prom event is a full meal, a dance, a midnight lunch, a
cash bar, a 50/50 and door prizes. We even have a disco ball,” he grinned. “It’s going to be great.”
Tickets can be purchased at the Whitecourt Library.